• E-Newsletter

Fairfax Teen Named Time Magazine Kid of the Year, Aims to Cure Skin Cancer

W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax County sophomore Heman Bekele was named the 2024 Kid of the Year by Time Magazine. He earned the title and cover of the special edition of Time Magazine for his work in creating a cancer-treating soap.

“Pretty much what it is, it’s a bar of soap that’s very cheap but also very effective at treating skin cancer,” Bekele explained to WTOP.

The 2024 Time Magazine Kid of the Year said the idea was to provide a cheap alternative to those who can’t afford the price of modern-day skin cancer treatments. The motivation to fight skin cancer stems from the early years Bekele spent in Ethiopia.

“I saw so many people that were working really long hours under the hot sun,” he said. “What keeps me pushing forward is thinking back to the impact that I will be able to have on those groups of people when I one day release that bar of soap.”

In October 2023, he was named “America’s Top Young Scientist” and won 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge for the soap he created.

Bekele worked at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health this summer.

“I’ve been working alongside the Rebecca Lab to test the bar of soap on mice. It was a fun process and also very rewarding as well to see all this hard work finally start to pay off as I’m continuing to work toward acquiring FDA certification,” Bekele said.

SEE ALSO: CNN interview with Heman Bekele, TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year

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If you are thinking about starting a business then Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is ready to assist you! Join us for FCEDA’s next Entrepreneurship 101 (E-101) workshop scheduled for September 4, in Tysons.

• Click here to register for the free workshop. This in-person event will be held at the FCEDA headquarters at 8300 Boone Blvd., Tysons, in the Conference Center, First Floor.  

During this interactive workshop, you will also hear from a panel of experts on registering your business, permitting requirements, business feasibility and business plan basics, business certifications, financing options and government resources. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with the presenters and FCEDA staff.

The E-101 workshops are presented by FCEDA, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD), the Community Business Partnership (CBP), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI).

For more information and details on the September 4 workshop, click here.

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Weekly Business News Digest

Innovation is on a roll: Construction is nearing completion on the first building at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Old Town Alexandria Patch reported. According to Virginia Tech, Academic Building One is expected to open to students in January 2025. The 11-story, 300,000-square-foot building is one of three the campus is planning on a 3.5-acre site in the Potomac Yard neighborhood. “Without a doubt, it’s just a gorgeous building from the outside with remarkable shapes,” said Lance Collins, vice president and executive director of the Innovation Campus. “Those faceted shapes to me are very distinctive. It will be iconic in the region, and it also features an interior that is very open and encouraging of collaboration.”

Accreditation earned: Tysons-based Somatus, a provider of value-based kidney care, was awarded the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Health Equity Accreditation, the company announced.  Somatus is the first value-based kidney care and chronic condition management provider to receive this distinction. “Our goal for Somatus has always been to offer a scalable solution that focuses on delaying kidney disease progression, keeping people as healthy as possible, and bringing justice in outcomes to individuals and communities affected by health inequities,” said Dr. Ikenna Okezie, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Somatus. “Receiving the NCQA Health Equity Accreditation is validation we are achieving those goals and are making a significant impact to improve equity, access, and outcomes for the patients we are privileged to serve.” SEE FCEDA’s article: Collaboration Key to Tysons-Headquartered Somatus’ Success

Funding round: Tysons-based DEFCON AI, which is building a next-generation modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) toolset for the modern military environment, has raised $44 million in seed funding, reported citybiz. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners with participation from Fifth Growth Fund and Red Cell Partners, among others. “At DEFCON AI, we are developing powerful solutions to reshape response planning in contested and disrupted environments,” said DEFCON AI Co-Founder and CEO Yisroel Brumer. “We bring to the DoD our capacity to very quickly field transformational software innovation so that defense leaders and planners have the tools they need to effectively coordinate operations and plan around disruptions. Our ability to do this dramatically improves the odds of materiel and manpower making it to their destinations without delay. At a time when near-peer competitors are stepping up their investments in intelligent military technology, such capabilities could mean the difference between winning and losing wars within the next decade.”

Expanding satellite constellation: Herndon-based HawkEye 360 has launched three radio frequency-sensing satellites into orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-11 Rideshare mission via launch integrator Exolaunch, bringing the company’s satellite constellation to 31, reported ExecutiveBiz. The company said Friday the Cluster 10 satellites will enhance HawkEye 360’s ability to frequently revisit strategically important areas as well as improve data collection efforts. Rob Rainhart, president at HawkEye 360, said that the new cluster will strengthen the company’s global radio frequency monitoring capabilities, offering greater precision and more actionable radio frequency insights.

Dawning of the age of Aquarius: Reston-based Scout Space, a  startup specializing in space domain awareness, has signed an agreement with Netherlands and New Zealand-based Dawn Aerospace, which has an office in New York, to demonstrate the ability to observe objects in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) from an aircraft operating in suborbital space. “This would be a first-of-its-kind tactically responsive VLEO space domain awareness capability,” said Scout’s CEO Philip Hover-Smoot to Spacenews. Dawn Aerospace CEO Stefan Powell said the combination of a suborbital spaceplane and space domain awareness sensors “provides a level of effectiveness and resilience that surpasses what can be achieved by a satellite.”

Done deal: Chantilly-based Parsons Corporation completed its acquisition of BlackSignal Technologies, a Razor’s Edge portfolio company, for $200 million, reported citybiz. The strategic acquisition expands Parsons’ customer base across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community and significantly strengthens Parsons’ positioning with full-spectrum cyber and electronic warfare, while adding new capabilities in the counterspace radio frequency domain: markets anticipated to grow more than 10 percent annually with double digit margin expectations. BlackSignal uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to create innovative signal processing techniques that detect and disrupt difficult-to-access command and control systems and platforms.

Ooh la la: Paris-based luxury retailer Chloé has inked a deal to open its first store in the D.C. metro area, adding to a small but exclusive portfolio of U.S. locations in markets such as Beverly Hills, Chicago and New York, reported Washington Business Journal. Chloé has signed a lease for around 1,948 square feet at Tysons Galleria, where it will replace Lady M Cakes, which is relocating to smaller space in another part of the mall.

Birds of a feather Pickleball together: As the pickleball scene continues to grow, The Pickleball Club of Tysons, a new indoor facility, has opened to meet the growing demand, District Fray Magazine reported. Located in Tysons within walking distance of the Silver Line Metro, the recreational facility features six dedicated pickleball courts suitable for play all year round.

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Contract Wins

Leidos (Reston) won three government contracts — a $191 million Army contract, an up to $86 million National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency contract, and an up to $326.5 million National Institutes of Health contract. Virginia Business

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August 27, 2024 — U.S.- Israel Collaborations in the Space Technology Sector: Innovations and Opportunities.  This webinar will encourage and support collaborations in the space technology sector between the U.S. and Israel. It will also provide a matchmaking platform for companies. Speakers will include Asher Kotz, Assistant Director, International Business Investment – Cybersecurity and Israel, FCEDA. Click here for more information and to register.

September 4, 2024 — Entrepreneurship 101: Starting A Business in Fairfax County. The Entrepreneurship 101 workshop is intended for start-up entrepreneurs who want to launch or grow a business in Fairfax County. The topics that will be covered, during this interactive workshop, include doing business in Fairfax County, business registration, business and property taxes, financing programs, licensing and certifications, local, state, and federal business resources, and other general topics related to starting and growing a business. The workshop is free however registration is required. Click here for more information and to register.

September 11, 2024 — The Dulles Airport Job & Career Fair. Come meet a diverse group of employers located at Washington Dulles International Airport hiring for full and part-time career opportunities. Click here for more information and to register.

October 23-24, 2024 — Accelerate Investor Conference. This venture and startup conference showcases the Virginia, Maryland, and Metro DC region as a powerhouse for innovation and business opportunities. Registration is open. Click here for more information and to register.

October 29, 2024 — NVTC Cyber Summit and Cyber50 Awards. NVTC’s Cyber Summit and Cyber50 awards will highlight the latest cybersecurity trends, technologies, and federal policies and gathers the best and brightest minds in the cyber and national security sectors. Click here to register.

Fairfax County EDA is here to connect businesses of all kinds to resources and information. For direct assistance, email the FCEDA at info@fceda.org, or call 703-790-0600. If you have company news or announcements to share, email FCEDA at News@fceda.org.